ANGLO-GERMAN APPROACH

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 143, 18 June 1937, Page 12

ANGLO-GERMAN APPROACH

Side by side with a cabled statement that the Prime Ministers at the Imperial Conference agreed not to restore any of their mandated exGerman territory, comes news from London of a "better relations With Germany" movement. The outward and visible sign is an invitation to the German Foreign Minister to visit London; the inward and spiritual meaning of the step is still to be ascertained. It may be asked: What has changed since Germany answered the questionnaire with silence? There has been, of course, a change in the Prime Ministership. A Prime Minister who said that his post did not carry with it the powers of a dictator, and who calledv (futilely) on Heir Hitler to "press the button for peace," has retired. His position has been taken by a son of a statesman who, a generation or more ago, tried to create an alliance between Britain and Germany, record of which may be found in Chamberlain histories. The tone in London now seems to. be: New Prime Minister, new Anglo-German effort. But, in the matter of issues between Britain and Germany, what has changed apart from the Prime Ministership? The cabled report concerning the Imperial Conference and the mandates says definitely: "JNo change.". , Nevertheless, according to other cabled statements, the foreign affairs discussions of the Imperial Conference are partly the cause of Britain's invitation to Baron; yon Neurath to visit London. On this authority, it would appear that Dominion objecI tions—and particularly New Zealand objections—to British recognition of Abyssinia put a hurdle in the course of Anglo-Italian overtures; and though the same discussions appear to have done nothing to lessen the mandates hurdle, yet "it soon became evident", at the Imperial Conference "that the Dominions were convinced that the first move must be an attempt to overcome the Anglo-German deadlock." It now remains to be seen whether Mr. Chamberlain's initiative, plus the reported conviction of tthe Conference, will result in a successful effort to deal with the "stubborn material" which, "The Times" says, confronts any Anglo-German negotiations. If Germany is not to, be appeased with colonial concessions, nor to be appeased by something at the cost of Soviet Russia (which suggestion has aroused intense Labour wrath in Britain) how is Germany to be offered terms that will be acceptable to her? In a general way, there is "no lack of goed will" and "no lack of incenti»« for the best endeavours" of th#<£ who seek Anglo-German appeasement. The invitation to Baron yon Neurath may also be, to quote again from "The Times," "a promising move already overdue." But it would be self-deception to assume that the prospects are more than hopeful.